World Enough and Time
by 1alucard1
Summary: Takes place after 3x25 "Boo Normal". Chloe and Lucifer have a long overdue conversation.


Chloe knew immediately that going to the penthouse had been a mistake. There was a reason she'd avoided being in the same room with Lucifer when there weren't other people around. Things had been weird between them ever since- well, ever since she found out.

She'd told him she needed time to digest everything. They kept working cases together but that was it. They hadn't exchanged so much as two sentences that weren't related to a case.

And now she'd been tasked with preparing him for the sting operation that was happening tonight. She almost refused, but then she would have had to give some reason to their new lieutenant, and, at the time, it had seemed easier just to agree to it. She could keep things strictly professional.

Now she was in the elevator, going up to Lucifer's penthouse, and she wasn't so sure anymore. Her heartbeat was racing, and her hands were sweaty, and she had no idea why. Maybe she just wasn't ready to face him alone yet.

She stepped out and was greeted with the familiar sight of Lucifer sitting at the piano, a glass of whiskey by his side, playing a soft melody. It reminded her of a simpler time, and she felt a sudden pain in her chest.

He looked up when he saw her, stood up mechanically and walked over, unbuttoning his shirt.

She must have given him a weird look, because he narrowed his eyes. "You are putting a wire on me, are you not?"

His voice was flat, emotionless. There was no trace of the teasing or innuendo she would have expected from him. He seemed to be committed to keep things strictly professional as well. Good.

Chloe cleared her throat. "Right. Yes."

She put the wire on him, touching his skin as little as humanly possible in the process. He didn't make any comment. When she was done, he buttoned his shirt back up and sat down at the piano once more. Chloe got the distinct impression that she had been dismissed. She ignored it.

"We should go over the plan one more time."

"No need, I memorized it", he said in a dismissive tone, not even looking up from the keys.

Chloe sighed. "Lucifer, I-"

"If there is no new information on the case or the suspect you need to share with me, I would kindly ask you to leave so I can get prepared."

His tone was carefully neutral. He hit a wrong note on the piano, and she saw a momentary flash of anger cross his features, then it was gone again. She realized that the calm exterior was just a facade, he was riled up underneath, upset about something. Maybe she had been avoiding the topic, had been avoiding him, for too long. Maybe she should have talked to him. It was all just so much to take in.

"Lucifer, maybe it's time that we talk-"

"You've made it abundantly clear that you do not wish to talk to me outside of our working relationship and I respect your decision."

"No, that's not at all what I-"

He looked at her and she thought she saw a flash of red in his eyes before he blinked it away. "Detective. You wanted space. I'm giving you space. I don't think there is anything else to talk about."

And, finally, it hit her. What he was hiding behind his icy demeanor towards her over the last couple of weeks. It was so obvious now, in his voice, his stance, that she wondered how she had missed it for so long. He was hurt. Deeply. She'd meant what she said, that she needed some time to adjust to this new reality, some distance from him. She hadn't meant _forever_. She realized now how it must have sounded like from his perspective. Like a rejection. Like she found out who he really was and didn't want anything to do with him anymore.

She sat down at the piano next to him and he froze. "Lucifer, please listen to me."

Chloe saw the tension running through him, even though he didn't move at all.

"I'm so sorry for not talking to you sooner. I was just a little overwhelmed. When I said I needed some space, I didn't mean- I just wanted-" She rubbed her hand over her eyes, grasping for words. "When I realized that you had been telling the truth all along, it completely shifted my world on its axis. The whole idea that heaven and hell are real, it's just- it's just a lot to take in. And then things went back to normal, or at least close to normal, and I just never had the courage to bring it up again. It seemed easier not to."

He didn't react to her words in any way, remaining frozen by her side, hands hovering over the keys.

"I was shocked, sure, but I need you to know that I didn't keep my distance because I was scared of you. I just needed some time to digest it all."

He made a disbelieving snort, then turned to face her. "Not scared of me?" In an instant, the horrible burned face was back, his eyes alight with a red fire. He grinned, leaning closer. Chloe didn't move away. She had an inkling that if this went wrong, she might loose him forever. She had to make sure not to screw things up this time around.

"Who do you think you're fooling?", he sneered, "You're terrified of me."

Chloe slowly lifted up her hand, softly grazing her fingertips over his cheek. Her hand was trembling slightly. Lucifer briefly closed his eyes, leaning into the touch, then he pulled away suddenly.

"I think it's best if you leave now, detective. It was foolish of me to think we could still work together." His voice was bitter. "I won't bother you anymore."

She wasn't getting through to him. She was going to loose him. The thought gave her a strange hollow feeling in her chest.

"Lucifer. I'm sorry I've been so distant. I wish- I want us to be friends again."

She saw that his hands were shaking as well, before he crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking defensive. "I don't need your pity. I was doing perfectly fine for millennia without you."

"I miss you. I know it's my own fault, and I'm sorry. How many more times do you need me to say it? Why can't things just go back to how they were before?"

He nodded. "You wish you had never found out. You wish I wasn't the devil. Sorry to disappoint." There was anger and disgust in his voice, but she felt it was directed more at himself than at her.

"That's not what I meant. Stop turning everything I say against me. I want us to go back to the way we were before, because-" She used all of her courage, knowing that if he didn't believe her this time, everything was lost. "-because how I feel about you hasn't changed."

There. She'd said it. It had taken her such a long time to admit it to herself. He was the devil, and it didn't change how she felt about him. She was in love with the devil. At first, it had been scary to think of it like that, but she'd slowly gotten used to the idea. After all, Lucifer was nothing like the devil was supposed to be.

He stared at her, blinking rapidly.

"You- I don't understand."

The honest confusion in his voice broke her heart. She leaned forward a little, putting her hand on his face again. Under her touch, it morphed back into the one she had always known. It was a strange sensation. Lucifer closed his eyes again. He didn't pull away this time.

Chloe regarded him and couldn't for the life of her remember what she had been so worried about. He was still the same man he'd always been. He had never lied to her.

She leaned forward even further, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. He opened his eyes in surprise, looking at her with a shocked expression. She gave him a shy smile.

"I'm sorry it took me so long."

He returned the smile, disbelief warring with hope in his eyes.

"You are quite forgiven, detective."

She moved her hand to his neck, pulling him down gently until their foreheads were touching. He exhaled a deep breath, slowly wrapping his arms around her.

Chloe's phone started vibrating in her pocket.

"I believe we have a killer to catch", Lucifer said reluctantly.

"He'll still be there in fifteen minutes", Chloe said, drawing her arms around him in turn, moving her head down to rest her chin against his shoulder.


End file.
